Zankyou no Mundane
by dwds
Summary: A ZNT AU in which Lisa and Arata are Shibazaki's children. Appearances by other characters in later chapters! Drabbles and ficlets about the lives they lead. Chapters will not be in chronological order, but more of a series of snapshots and events that go on.
1. Beginnings

Many thanks to Stephane (stephanericherthanyou on tumblr) for the hours put in brainstorming with me! (And beta-ing as well!) It was a lot of fun :)

Yeah so I have a lot of ideas for this AU, so I hope I can work quick enough with school and my job and college apps to be able to write this and get all my ideas out.

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><p>He's just put Haruka to bed and is in the process of winding down himself when there's a knock on the door. Rising slowly from the overstuffed chair he's just gotten comfortable in, Kenjirou pads toward the front of the apartment. He can see a woman's face through the peephole—someone he doesn't recognize, which is interesting. They don't know too many people, and Mukasa's really the only one who visits regularly. Kenjirou opens the door.<p>

"Finally," the woman says. "Do you know how cold it gets in Tokyo at night?" He blinks at her, brows furrowing slightly. Is he supposed to know this woman? "We've been outside for hours, trying to track this place down," she continues, rubbing her hands and blowing hot air into them. _We?_ Kenjirou casts his eyes downward, where two very small, very _quiet_ children (he didn't even notice them) are hiding behind the woman's legs.

_Who are these people?_ Is what Kenjirou wants to know. "Would you like to come in?" is what he asks instead, opening the door wider and gesturing inside. The woman pushes her way in immediately, dragging the children behind her. He scowls a little at her brazen behavior, but doesn't comment.

"Thanks," the woman says, standing in the middle of the room like she owns it. He bends down to pick up some dishes off the coffee table, casting his eyes upward at her voice and catching her crooked smile. "It's been a while, hasn't it, Shibazaki?"

He's honestly at a loss. A woman he doesn't know in his apartment at 11 pm on a school night with two kids in tow. How is he supposed to act in this situation? She must sense his confusion, see it displayed on his face, because her eyes narrow in what seems to be smug satisfaction. "Am I really that forgettable, Kenjirou?"

The way she drawls his name is distantly familiar—a blurred memory from years ago almost resurfaces, but when Kenjirou tries to capture it, it fades away. The woman drops onto his couch and laughs. The taller of the children tenses and takes the shorter one's hand in his. They don't join the woman (their mother? their babysitter?) on the couch, choosing instead to retreat to the corner of the carpet and standing there. She doesn't try to invite them to come closer, so Kenjirou lets it lie.

"Don't you remember, Kenji? You used to call me up at all sorts of hours, so demanding!" She laughs again, but her eyes are cold. "You weren't very talkative, but it was some of the best sex I've had in years." A cold wave of terror washes over Kenjirou. Hazy memories start to surface. "I'm pretty surprised you don't remember," the woman continues. A name starts to form in his mind—_Aiko? Asako? Aki?_ –but none of them seem to fit correctly. "I mean, it wasn't like it was a quick fuck or anything. We kept at it for a while—maybe two, three years? The last time was around three years ago, anyways." Shibazaki glances toward the children. The younger child, a girl, looks around three years old. Was she…?

"Do you really not remember?" He looks back toward the woman, who now seems a bit offended. She pouts and he sits up in realization.

"Akiho!" Kenjirou says suddenly, and the pout is replaced with a small smile. How often had he seen that look on her stupid face when she was trying to be coy and he was just waiting for a quick release? His face immediately shifts into a scowl, and she chuckles.

"That face is familiar! You always looked so mean when we were fucking! I seriously can't believe you barely remember any of it—we used to meet up in the weirdest locations, I swear to God—"

"My life was kind of a mess back then," Kenjirou cuts in. "I drowned myself in alcohol and sex and you weren't the only one I used." Her brows raise slightly at the word used but she doesn't comment. "What I don't understand is why you're contacting me now. I'm pretty sure I made it clear that we were to cut off all connections after that last time?"

Her laugh is infuriating, but he checks his anger and waits for the mirth to die down.

"Have you really not pieced it together yet?" She snorts, eyes alight. "I thought you were a detective, or something?"

"I am a detective, but I'm no mind reader," he says, anger seeping into his voice. But she's right. He's not stupid. Why else would she drag two toddlers around Tokyo when it's almost midnight?

"Hey, kids," Akiho says, standing suddenly and grabbing the children's upper arms. She thrusts both of them toward Kenjirou. "Say hi to Daddy!"

He's expecting it, but it's still a shock.

"How do you know they're my kids?" he asks, a bit desperately. "I mean, there could be others—"

"They're yours," Akiho says, smiling sweetly. "You were the only man I slept with during that period of time." He sits down heavily. Breathing is a problem, suddenly. Akiho keeps talking.

"The oldest is Arata, he's four, and then there's Lisa, she's two and a half. Kenji, I seriously cannot keep taking care of them. They're both so quiet, and they seriously never want to do normal little kid things like play with cars or dolls or anything. And Arata sometimes just looks at me, it's so creepy, it's like he understands everything I do and is judging me for it—"

"Are you seriously giving up these kids after four years, four years where you didn't even introduce them to their father, because you think they're _weird?_" He had honestly forgotten how shallow and dense Akiho was. _Which is precisely the reason I kept calling her back, isn't it? She's easy._ Even after all these years, Kenjirou still finds it hard to forgive himself for his past misdeeds—and now they've come back to change his life again.

"Not just because they're weird!" Akiho says loudly. "I can barely take care of them myself! I'm always out at work—" he snorts, and she glares. "At work, and I barely have any money to buy them new clothes or toys or anything. I mean, Lisa wears Arata's old clothes, and I get Arata's clothes from the neighborhood kids! So sad! But I remembered you were respectable and hardworking and you have money, so I figured I'll just leave them with you!" She smiles brightly and practically shoves their daughter at him. The girl stumbles and the boy, Arata, catches her quickly. They are both very thin. Kenjirou can see tears forming in little Lisa's eyes.

"Wait, wait," he says, because a new problem has arisen. "You said Arata is four? _Four?_ How the hell did you keep him from me for those last two years? _Why the fuck didn't you tell me?_"

"I didn't want you to end it!" Akiho whines. "So I never mentioned it! And if we headed to my apartment, I left him with neighbors!"

"I cannot believe you!" Kenjirou's trying not to shout—he doesn't want to wake Haruka, include a new factor into this mess. "I cannot believe you would do something so _completely irresponsible—"_

"Well, I'm taking responsibility now!" Akiho snarls. "They're all yours! I can't waste my life with this anymore!"

"Dumping them on me isn't 'taking responsibility'! You can't just come out of nowhere and drop two children into my life and leave!" He reaches to grab her wrist, stepping in between the toddlers. Lisa stumbles backward and falls on her bottom, but Arata smoothly moves out of the way. Akiho twists out of his way, quick even in heels. She snatches up her purse from the couch and runs toward his front door.

"They're all yours, Kenji!" she trills from the doorway, waving, and takes tries to maneuver around the kids _(his kids)_ and chase after her, but he's too slow. By the time he's reached the stairs, she's leaped out the first floor door and is running toward a waiting motorcycle.

"AKIHO!" He shouts, desperate to be heard. She clambers on behind a mysterious rider and waves at him again. He can see her teeth flash. "AKIHO, YOU CAN'T JUST LEAVE CHILDREN WITH SOMEONE WHO'S NOT THEIR LEGAL GUARDIAN—"

"IT'S OKAY!" She calls back, hands cupping her mouth. It's still hard to hear her. "I'VE TAKEN CARE OF THE LEGAL PROCESSES INVOLVED! I KNOW, RIGHT? PRETTY MATURE!" The cycle starts up, and Kenjirou can only watch helplessly as the two on the bike begin to ride away. "I'LL PROBABLY SEE YOU IN COURT, KENJI! GOOD LUCK WITH THOSE KIDS!" And with that, Akiho is gone.

When Kenjirou trudges back into his apartment, mind still reeling with the nights developments, Lisa is lying down on the floor with her head in Arata's lap. He's rubbing her back, a bit awkward in his childish movements, and his eyes are trained on Kenjirou. They both look afraid.

"Hey," Kenjirou says, crouching down. "Hey there, you two. Lisa and Arata, right?" Arata nods and Lisa blinks sleepily up at him. "Hi," he says, smiling gently at them. No matter what happened and whatever mistakes he and Akiho made, these children are not at fault. "My name is Shibazaki Kenjirou. I'm your father."

"Daddy?" Lisa inquires softly. She lifts her head off her brother's lap and fixes large, droopy eyes on him.

"Yes," he says, laughing a little. "I'm your daddy. Is that okay?" She nods, probably too tired to do anything else and he picks her up. She tenses a little, but he pats her back soothingly and she settles in his arms. "I promise, everything will be okay in the morning. Why don't I get you two to bed?" Lisa's answering yawn is enough confirmation for him, and he stands up and holds out a hand for Arata.

The boy looks at him, looks at his hand, and reaches up to take hold of Lisa's socked foot. Kenjirou glances backward to see two small pairs of shoes lined up at the door and hides a small smile. He leads them into his bedroom and settles Lisa onto the big bed. Arata stays standing next to her.

"You can sleep in the bed, too, Arata," says Kenjirou. He leans forward to help the small boy, but Arata shies away from his touch and clambers into the bed himself. Kenjirou knows not to push anything and instead goes to his closet and grabs two clean undershirts. Lisa's already almost asleep, so he quickly undresses and puts his shirt on her. He prays her pull-ups last the night. By the time he's done with Lisa, Arata's already put on the shirt (although it's backward) and put his clothes at the end of the bed. Kenjirou gathers up both Arata and his sister's clothing and puts in in the hamper while starts Lisa releasing little puffs of air through her nose—she's asleep.

He pulls the blanket up to tuck the two of them in, gesturing with his head that Arata should crawl under the covers as well. Hesitantly, the small boy eases himself under the comforter.

"Is Mommy coming back?" he whispers. Kenjirou has to strain to hear it. It's the first time he's heard the boy speak.

"I don't think so," says Kenjirou softly. "I'm sorry. But I'll take care of you and Lisa from now on. You can trust me, I promise."

"It's okay," says Arata. His eyes are blinking slowly—the resemblance to his sister is uncanny. "Mommy wasn't nice." Before Kenjirou can ponder that bit of information, Arata scooches over until he's flush against Lisa and rests his head on her shoulder. His eyes droop shut and his breathing evens.

Kenjirou's eyes prick a little bit, and he rubs his hand across his face hastily. He watches the siblings sleep peacefully and realizes that it's only been an hour, but he's already gotten attached. He thinks of Akiho and her shitty apartment and imagines these two huddled in the corner while she threw her life away in Tokyo night life. He notices how pale they are and how small their bodies seem to be. A flood of emotions wash over him, and he draws the blanket up tighter and places small kisses on each of their tiny foreheads. No matter what happens, he will fight to keep these kids.

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><p>ehhh hoped you all liked it! cross posted to tumblr and a03<p>

come talk to me about znt on my tumblr! my username is didsw on both tumblr and ao3 (i would link it but idk how to do that)


	2. Beginnins p2

Thank you Stephane for all the beta work! I can feel my writing improve!

Hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I meant for different stuff to happen but once I started writing it just sorta took off? Lol

Anyways, after this chapter I'll probably time skip to modern day when Lisa and Nine are teenagers because this was all exposition and yeah. The chapters won't be chronological or anything, and probably different points of view? It's kinda like a one-shot collection thingy, sorta? Haha. But I'll come back to this age and I mean there will probably be a bunch of different time settings and stuff. Yeah so basically what I'm saying is its gonna be unpredictable even for me like idk where I'm going with this so it's a surprise for all of us lol

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><p>He wakes up when a hand gives him stinging pat on the cheek. Blearily blinking awake, Kenjirou meets Haruka's wide stare.<p>

"Dad," she whispers, urgent. She's already in her school uniform. "Dad, come look at this! You'll never believe what I just saw!" She grabs his hand and hauls him off the couch, scattering papers everywhere. It's not uncommon for Kenjirou to fall asleep on the furniture while in the middle of doing paperwork. Today, he's surrounded by custody, support, and hearing forms that Akiho dropped off early this morning. The scatter across the floor and he wants to pick them up, but Haruka's is already pulling him toward his bedroom door.

She gestures for him to be quiet before pushing open the door and tiptoeing in. "I don't know how they got here, but when I came in to wake you up because I didn't hear your alarm this morning and I didn't want to be late, they were here instead!" Haruka goes and stands by a soft mound that Kenjirou knows to be a slumbering Arata and Lisa.

He observes them quietly for a moment. They both sleep on their backs—so does he, is that a genetic thing? Haruka sleeps on her side, , that could've come from her mother…

Kenjirou startles a bit when Lisa sighs loudly and turns her head to face the inside of the bed, her nose now nestled in Arata's hair. Not wishing to wake them, Kenjirou takes Haruka by the shoulder and gently steers her out the door.

"Who are they, Dad?" She asks when they enter the main living area. He goes to prepare coffee and some toast for her breakfast and she takes a seat at their small dining table that's shoved close to the wall.

"Their names are Arata and Lisa," says Kenjirou. He isn't sure how to explain exactly who they are to Haruka, who's thirteen and wise beyond her years but still a child.

"They're going to be staying with us for a while."

"Where's their mom and dad?" Haruka swings her legs. He takes his phone to buy some time and shoots off some quick messages.

"Their mother can't take care of them right now," replies Kenjirou evasively. This answer seems to satisfy Haruka, who props her chin up in her fist and starts humming. He finishes buttering her toast and sets it in front of her.

"I'm going to take the day off today," says Kenjirou. "Muka-ojichan will walk you to school."

"Yay!" cheers Haruka through a mouthful of bread. Kenjirou narrows his eyes.

"And don't accept any candy or sweets he might try to sneak to you," he warns. "I know all of Mukasa's tricks, and I don't want you ruining your lunch."

"I won't, I won't," Haruka says, an innocent smile plastered to her face. Kenjirou knows better, and makes a mental note to warn Mukasa as well. He rises from his chair when the coffee pot dings, pouring himself a cup and getting Haruka's lime green bento out of the fridge.

"What are their names?" asks Haruka.

"The boy's name is Arata, and the girl's name is Lisa," says Kenjirou.

Haruka ponders this for a few seconds. "Who's older?"

"Arata is four, and Lisa is two and a half."

"They're so little!" says Haruka, clapping her cheeks and smiling. "You know, Dad, they looked so cute when I first walked in! They were all cuddled up together!" Kenjirou opens his mouth to answer, but a sharp knock on the door cuts him off. He goes over and opens the door to welcomes Mukasa inside.

"Muka-ojichan!" Haruka runs toward him.

"Haru-chan!" says Mukasa, and he swings her around. Kenjirou smiles until he sees a sweet slipped into Haruka's front pocket.

"No, no!" He says, striding forward, but Haruka dances out of his way, laughing.

"Just one won't hurt, right, Shibazaki?" Mukasa's smile is sly. Kenjirou sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose.

"Alright, but just one, Haru! And you better eat all your lunch today too! And you, Mukasa—don't give her anything more!" He knows it's futile. Mukasa and Haruka are thick as thieves, conspiring against him since the first time Mukasa held her as a newborn.

"Haru-chan, why don't you go pack your bag and I'll meet you at the door?" says Mukasa, and Haruka runs off. When she's in her room, Mukasa plants a large hand on Shibazaki's shoulder. "How are you holding up?"

"There's so much paperwork," Kenjirou sighs, sitting down heavily. "Akiho came by at six this morning and practically shoved them at me, and I barely got any sleep the night before."

"I'm ready to help you with anything you need," says Mukasa. He is Shibazaki's oldest friend, from their years at college and at the Metropolitan police department. He was the first one Shibazaki called when Akiho left. Kenjirou knows he will always support him, and he would do the same. He nods his thanks and Mukasa smiles. "So…when do I get to see them?"

"Not now, idiot," says Kenjirou. "They're having the most peaceful night of their lives right now."

"What about when I drop Haruka off?" asks Mukasa.

"I don't know," says Kenjirou, shrugging. "I…don't want to overwhelm them…" He isn't afraid of offending Mukasa, who's slow to anger and quick to love.

"Ah, I understand. But don't hold out on me too long, Shibazaki! Muka-ojichan needs two more children to get rid of his sweets!" He laughs and Kenjirou groans.

"Please, try not to ruin their teeth as well," he says. Mukasa merely winks, turning when Haruka comes out of her room. She presses a quick kiss to her fingers and touches a photo against the wall before walking over to the front door where Mukasa is waiting.

"Bye, Dad!" Haruka calls, the clips in her hair sparkling in the early morning sunlight.

"See you, Shibazaki," says Mukasa, and they take their leave. Kenjirou lowers his hand from the farewell wave and gathers up the fallen paperwork. He sits down at the table, grabs a pen, and prepares to settle in for a long few hours.

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><p>He goes in to check on the kids around noon, a little concerned about their stomachs. To his surprise, both of them are awake and sitting up.<p>

"Good morning," says Kenjirou softly. Lisa gives him a shy little wave. "Are you two hungry?" They both nod, but Arata's movements are slow and cautious. He gestures toward the dining table where two bowls are placed. "I have ramen!" Its packaged ramen, the kind he downed in his younger years, but it will suffice.

Lisa slides off the bed and Arata follows her. Kenjirou bites back a laugh. They both look adorable and ridiculously small in his undershirts. Arata's serious gaze adds to the amusement.

He helps Lisa into her chair, unsure of how to act in front of the boy, who seems a bit averse to his touch. They both seem a little bit better than the night before—Lisa doesn't seem as scared, and they look rested.

Kenjirou brings a big pot of boiling water over to the table. "Watch out," he warns, smiling at Lisa. She gazes at him with wide eyes and points to the pot. "I'm going to pour this in, so you can have some delicious noodles, but I don't want you to get burned!" Arata leans forward, interested.

Kenjirou pours the water over the dry noodles in Lisa's bowl. Steam rises quickly and she gasps.

"Onii-chan! Onii-chan!" She says, grasping at Arata's sleeve. "Look!" Lisa tries grabbing at the steam, and makes a noise of surprise when her hands come away with water droplets. "Look, Oni-chan! It's wet!" Kenjirou laughs at her fascination and starts to pour into Arata's bowl. The boy stares with big eyes at the rising vapor and hesitantly sticks his fingers in.

"It's hot," he says, sounding confused. Kenjirou smiles at him and pulls up a chair next to Lisa so he can feed her.

"It's because I heated up the water to cook the noodles. See how they were dry before, but now they bend?" He gives Arata a spoon and a pair of ninja clothespin chopsticks from Haruka's younger years.

Arata looks into his bowl and swirls the noodles around the spoon Kenjirou handed to him before nodding. He eats his noodles quietly—everything about him is quiet, especially for a child. His sister is shy, but loud. Even now, she's slurping the broth Kenjirou's feeding her noisily. As they eat, Kenjirou talks about himself—his job, the house, funny stories that have happened to him. Lisa warms up to him quickly, giggling and spitting noodles when he makes a face at her. Arata is still quiet, but Kenjirou sometimes catches him hiding a small smile into his bowl.

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><p>They take a walk around a park after lunch, and Kenjirou treats them to ice cream afterward. Lisa clutches his hand and winds up with more of the dessert on her face and dress than in her stomach. She's wearing a tank top of Haruka's he filched from her closet, but it's long enough on her to double as a sundress. He puts Arata in one of Haruka's red althletic pinnies and the shorts the boy wore last night. The outfits will have to do for the time being until he is able to get them both some new clothes.<p>

By the time the three arrive home, Haruka's already there. Lisa and Arata freeze at the sight of her, and she stares openly at them.

"This is my daughter," says Kenjirou. He indicates for her to introduce herself.

"Hi," Haruka's quiet, smiling gently. She climbs off the side of the couch where she was lounging and kneels on the floor. "My name's Haruka. What are your names?"

"I'm Lisa," says Lisa shyly, blushing when Haruka greets her.

"A-Arata," whispers Arata. His voice is small and he shifts so he's a little behind Kenjirou's legs. Haruka holds out some cute little trinkets from her pencil case as asks if they would like to play. Kenjirou knows Lisa is sold the moment she picks up an elephant eraser in her chubby hand. She clutches it to her chest and gives Haruka a wide smile. Arata moves forward a little, ignoring Lisa's attempt to get him to play with the elephant. Kenjirou figures now is as good a time as any.

"Haruka, Lisa, Arata," he says, and sits down in front of them. Lisa plops herself down between Arata and Haruka. The three of them look to him curiously, and he is suddenly aware of their similarities. Thick hair on all of them. Dark eyes and long lashes—slight hollows under their eyes, just like his, as if they're tired all the time. Narrow noses and chins-although facial structure is hard to tell, even for Haruka, who's only just begun the process of becoming an adult.

"I am not sure how to say this, but please be patient with me," he starts off. He wonders if Lisa will even understand what he's saying. "I know, Arata and Lisa, that you two have been living with your mommy for a long time. But your mommy can't take care of you anymore, so that's why you've come to live with Daddy.'' Mami makes a surprised noise and claps a hand over her mouth. Kenjirou continues on. "So the four of us are a family now. Haruka is your big sister, and Haru, Lisa and Arata are your little siblings. Is that okay?"

Haruka doesn't speak, but her eyes say a thousand words. Arata ducks his head a little. "It's okay," he says, fiddling with the edge of his shirt. He doesn't meet anyone's eyes, but his plump little cheeks are lit with a blush. He can see Mami melting in front of him.

"I promise," continues Kenjirou, "that I will do everything to ensure that you three are safe and happy. We're a family-I won't ever let anything harm you." He holds their gazes and doesn't waver.

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><p>It's been a couple of hours since the bomb was dropped on Haruka, but the children seem to have made peace with the news rather fast. Right now, Haruka is giving them a grand tour of the apartment—two bedrooms, one bath and one general living space. Lisa follows her around, a look of awe plastered over her face. Arata is constantly hovering over his little sister, holding her hand or catching her sleeve. Kenjirou lets them be and gets back to work on the forms.<p>

"What's that, Haru-nee-chan?" asks Lisa, pointing out some of Haruka's school supplies. Haruka looks incredibly smug at Lisa's title for her.

"Homework,"

"What's that?"

"My school shoes,"

"What's that?"

"My mother." Kenjirou glances up sharply. The three of them are standing in front of the little shrine where a photo of his late wife is placed.

"Where is she?" asks Arata. Kenjirou is surprised that he's talking.

"She died when I was seven years old," says Haruka quietly. Lisa hugs her leg, looking scared. "It's okay, though. It was a long time ago, and I know she's always watching over me. And you guys, too!" she adds, grinning down at them. "I kiss this photo every morning. If you want, you can too."

Lisa clumsily moves forward, grabbing the picture frame and planting a large, wet kiss in the middle of it. Haruka laughs, and after a second, Kenjirou joins in. His eldest shoots him an amused grin across the floor.

"I do it like this," says Haruka, demonstrating by kissing her index and middle finger and pressing them to her mother's forehead. Lisa tries again, and Arata pats the frame before standing back. Kenjirou feels a warm rush in his chest and hastily goes back to work.

* * *

><p>Lisa's gone and fallen asleep right on their carpet. "Baby sister gets tired out easily," says Arata by way of explanation. Kenjirou is happy with the progress the boy has made in just one day—but he still shies away from physical contact. Kenjirou lets Haruka scoop Lisa up and pad toward his room. He and Arata follow after.<p>

Unfortunately, the two still have to wear Kenjirou's undershirts to bed, but the weather is hot and the shirts are cotton, so it isn't too uncomfortable. Arata snuggles down next to Lisa again, but not before placing a sweet kiss to her forehead.

"I usually do that every day before bedtime," he says, staring at the blanket. "If-if you want, you can too." He burrows under the blanket and squeezes his eyes shut.

Haruka leans down and kisses Lisa softly. She looks like she wants to do the same to Arata, but he's already buried in the covers.

"Goodnight, Dad, Arata," she says, and leaves the room.

Kenjirou leans down and presses his lips to Lisa's small curls, then quickly does the same to Arata. He's mildly surprised when the boy doesn't protest. He smooths the blanket over Arata and pats him lightly.

"Get some sleep, Arata," Kenjirou whispers quietly. He sits on the edge of the bed and runs his hand over Arata's body in a soothing manner until the boy's breathing evens and he falls asleep.

They're going to have to move-there's no way four people can fit comfortably in his cramped apartment-and it's going to be difficult to accommodate for two extra people when it's been just him and Mami for so long. Kenjirou remembers the look on Lisa's face and the excitement in Haruka's voice and the slow trust that's blooming in Arata and knows that it is worth it.

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><p>Arata calls Lisa "baby" or "baby sister" because I've seen a lot of little kids refer to younger children that way. I did it to my brother, I used to do it to my cousins, and my brother talked like that to our cousins as well.<p>

I also spelled Mukasa's name wrong in Chapter One! I will fix that.


	3. New School

Thank you Stephane for the lovely comments and the beta work!

PS: This is a time skip!

PPS: ok i suck at titles lol

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><p>Lisa's eyes snap open and her body twists around until she's tangled in the sheets. Yelping, she tumbles off the bed and onto the floor.<p>

She lets out a groan as she blindly grasps at her bedside table, finding her phone and flopping back onto the floor when she sees the time—5:30 am. Why did she set her alarm for 5:30? _Was this another farewell prank by Nee-chan? _Lisa closes her eyes and snuggles back into her blanket cocoon on the floor.

Her door bangs open a little while later and Lisa jerks awake for the second time.

"What are you doing? Get up, we're going to be late."

Lifting her head up, she sees Arata scowling in her doorway, already dressed but hair still wild.

"What're you talking about?" she slurs, voice thick. Her brother's eyes narrow.

"Aren't you starting at that new school today?" His voice is flat, drowsy with sleep although he attempts to hide it. "The one where you have to take two trains early in the morning to be able to make it on time?" He moves out of her way easily when she scrambles off the floor and follows as she races into the bathroom. "Just so you know, we start off on the same train, but you get off earlier to catch a different one. I won't be there to help you find your way, so try not to get lost." Arata is leaning on the frame of the bathroom door, watching while she frantically runs a comb through her hair while simultaneously brushing her teeth.

"Can you please tell me what time it is?" Lisa says through a mouthful of paste.

He makes a big show of sighing and checking his watch before announcing that it's a little past six. Lisa immediately spits and washes her face and mouth, rubbing her face dry hastily on the towel behind her. Arata is no help at all.

"You shouldn't rub your face so roughly," he says. She doesn't answer and heads back into her room and shuts the door to change. Arata keeps talking. "Skin is very sensitive and you can dry it out. You should pat it dry instead."

"Nii-chan, can you please just let me get dressed in peace," Lisa says, embarrassed, and she hears him shuffle away. Why does her brother always talk as if she's some helpless baby? She may not be as _competent _as him in some areas—okay, a lot of areas—but she's not a complete idiot!

Lisa tugs on her skirt and ties her ribbon. She looks into the small mirror, debating for a moment, before sliding in a yellow sun clip into her hair. Haruka had given it to her last night before she left and Lisa felt it would give her good luck if she wore it on the first day at her new school.

Suddenly confident, she strides down the stairs and into the kitchen where Arata's waiting, two sandwiches in hand. He glances briefly to her hair but doesn't say anything, and she feels her face warm up. Silently, they both head out the front door.

It's weird to walk with Arata. Before she changed schools, he used to leave way earlier than she did, taking the metro into the heart of Tokyo where his school is, while she was able to walk a few blocks down the road. Munching on her sandwich quietly, Lisa observes the city in the early morning. There aren't that many people around, and it's still a bit dark and cold. She and Arata wave to Hamura-san as he's lifting the grates to open up his store, and he hands them both a lemon candy. Arata hands his to her when they turn the corner. Lisa slides both of the tangy stones around in her mouth and thinks about the day ahead.

When they board the metro, it's already crowded despite the early hour. Arata grasps her upper arm and places himself between her and the other passengers. He leans down close and begins to talk in her ear.

"It's about a half hour ride on this train," he begins, quiet as to not disturb other passengers. "You'll be getting off on the right side. All you have to do is walk straight through and wait for the incoming train on the other side. Stay on that train for another quarter hour, give or take, and exit on the left side. When you come back above ground, walk straight out of the staircase for about two blocks. Then, make a quick turn—"

Lisa's head is spinning, her brother's words tumbling over themselves in her brain. "Nii-chan, I can't—I don't—"

He draws back sharply and sucks a breath in what she supposes is exasperation. Lisa cringes internally—she's always, always half a step behind her genius brother, but what can you do?

"I'll text it to you," he says, pulling out his phone. He has to type with on hand, the other still locked around her arm.

When the time comes to get off, Lisa is suddenly seized with a bout of fear. What if she can't find her classes? What if her uniform's put on the wrong way? _What if the kids here aren't any different from the kids at my old school? _

She wants to stay on the train—maybe, just for today, she can shadow Arata at his fancy high class school for kid geniuses?—but he's already pushing her toward the exit. "Quick, get off, I can see the other train coming," and she's on the platform. Lisa turns, eyes wide, seeking the quiet strength of her older brother, but he's frowning in the window and gesturing for her to _move, now._

She runs across to the other train and squeezes herself on between a bleary-eyed boy and an old, old man. She tucks her arms in tight and tries to meet Arata's eye across the long distance between them, but he's already gone back to his phone and their trains are turning in different directions and she's alone.

* * *

><p>Its lunchtime and Lisa's forgotten her bento<em>. This would never happen to Nee-chan or Nii-chan<em>, she thinks miserably. Pushing the thought of her much smarter, more responsible siblings aside, Lisa debates on what to do.

Wandering out of the classroom in search of a vending machine, she walks past a group of kids from her class. Lisa knows exactly what category they fall into—they're the type to tease and bully, hidden behind curved smiles and empty eyes. She avoids eye contact and skirts past.

On the way back to the classroom, armed with some milk and bread, one girl calls out to her.

"Nice hair clip," she says, brushes a river of hair over a starch white shoulder. Lisa glances at her dim school shirt, dusty from the road, and stammers a thank you. She's not stupid. She knows the girl was making fun of her, if the muffled snickers weren't enough. It was exactly how it started at her old school—things escalated quickly over the course of her first year, and by the time second year rolled around she was being forced into ridiculous stunts such as stealing her teacher's personal items and, on one occasion, jumping into her school pool. When she had showed up at home, sniffling and dripping onto the welcome mat, her father had immediately scheduled a "private talk" with the school's principle, and in less than a week she found herself out of that place and into the position she was in now.

Lisa slides into her desk and wishes for the millionth time that she was just a bit stronger, a bit more vocal or intimidating—but she's not. She's small and quiet and people just walk all over her. Lisa breaks off a piece of sweet bread and chews. She can stand the backhanded compliments. For now, it will just be snide comments masked under an air of fake-friendliness. As long as she doesn't react negatively or draw attention to herself, eventually those kids will move on and she'll be left alone.

_Don't let them get into your head this early_, she recites to herself. But by the time lunch is over, the clip is out of her hair and in her bag.

* * *

><p>Lisa wants to sigh with relief when she boards the last train on her journey home and sees Arata waiting in the corner. She had all but run out of school when the last bell rang, and then she tripped while getting on the first train and the boy from the morning ride and his friend wouldn't stop giggling the whole fifteen minutes. He nods to her, curt, like they're simply acquaintances, not siblings who go home to the same house and eat the same food and share a bathroom. Lisa allows it though—she looks at her phone and smiles at the good luck text he had sent when he thought she would be in class.<p>

"Where's the clip Nee-chan gave you?" he asks on the walk home. Lisa scuffles and kicks up some dirt with her shoe. "Don't do that."

"I…took it out…?" she tries.

"Why?"

Lisa peers up into his blank expression. The sun casts a glare on his lenses, and for a moment, he looks untouchable.

"It looks silly, don't you think? A second year girl who still puts clips in her hair," she says. Arata doesn't say anything, and they continue the walk in silence.

* * *

><p>"How was your first day at your new school?" asks her father at dinner. His eyes crinkle at her and she feels bad because it's not what they had hoped it would be.<p>

"It was okay," she says, deciding not to worry her father who's already stressed enough at work.

"No, it wasn't," says Arata. Two pairs of eyes snap toward him, one curious, the other scared. "Someone made fun of Lisa's hair clip."

"No!" Lisa says, startled—it's impossible to hide anything in this family with her detective father and her siblings' intelligence, why does everyone gang up on her? "No, no that's not what happened, I just decided to take it out—"

"They probably said something and she was too embarrassed to put it back on," her brother continues on as if she didn't speak, this is so humiliating, _why won't he stop talking._

"It's fine, Dad!" Lisa says, a bit desperate. "It wasn't even a big deal, I just felt like a little kid and it was embarrassing."

"It was probably a bigger deal than what she's making it out to be," murmurs Arata, and Lisa aims a kick at his legs under the table. She misses and gets his chair instead. His eyes slide to her over the rim of his glass when she lets out a tiny gasp of pain.

"Lisa," says her father, looking concerned. "Are the kids…are they like your old school?"

"No, Dad," she says, feeling like a horrible child. She's always causing trouble for her dad whether she wants to or not. "It was just a comment, and for the most part they left me alone. It wasn't a big deal, I promise."

Her dad still looks worried, but lets it go for now.

* * *

><p>He later comes in when she's getting ready for bed. Normally, Lisa would be embarrassed—who still gets tucked in anymore?—but it's been a long, tiring day, and she's grateful for the warmth he brings in his hugs.<p>

Her father tucks her bangs back and clips the little sun into place.

"Dad," she says, protesting.

"It looks beautiful," he says, smoothing her hair down. "Forget those other losers at your school and listen to your old man." She laughs.

"They're not losers, Dad," she says, snuggling under his arm. "They're just mean because they're immature."

"I think they're losers," says her dad. He's smiling down at her and his eyes are proud. "I wish everyone would see the world the way you do, Lisa."

Lisa hides her smile in his shirt, inhaling the scent of smoke and paper. Tokyo clings to him, in his hair and his clothing, forever wound around his body, smells that won't go away no matter how many times he showers or changes. It's comforting.

Her dad keeps talking, one hand rubbing her back. "You're so strong, Lisa. The strongest person I know. I wish you would recognize that."

Lisa thinks of him, solid in his work, unlocking the puzzles behind Japan's criminals, and of her brother, back unwavering in every action he takes, every word he speaks. She thinks of her sister, far away and alone in university, studying a subject formerly dominated by men but now led by her. All of this passes through her mind and Lisa wonders what her father sees when he looks at her, what he's comparing her to, when he calls her strong.

* * *

><p>i hope i captured lisa alright i want her to feel both inadequate when compared to nine but also make it clear she looks up to him a lot!<p>

also, had to change mami's name to haruka because they gave her a name AND DAMMIT IF I ONLY WAITED A WEEK LONGER I WOULDNT HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM ah well

didsw on tumblr-come say hi!


	4. Prank

this is late...i wanted to write this and have it up by the finale but i couldnt think of where i wanted to go...

thanks stephane, for beta work and throwing around ideas! and major major help with the writing oh man really thank you so much!

* * *

><p>He opens his eyes twelve minutes before his alarm is set to go off. Arata sighs and reaches for his glasses, shoving them on, blinking away the early morning haze.<p>

There's no point in staying in bed. His stomach is empty and his toes cold where the blanket doesn't quite cover through the tosses and turns of the night. By the time he works himself into a comfortable position it will already be time to rise again.

Mouth set, Arata swings his feet off the side and stands. He grabs today's uniform, clean and crisp, off the hanger on his door and pads into the bathroom. He's lucky to make it in before Lisa, who spends an exceedingly long time in front of the mirror. She doesn't even do anything, just stares at her face, combs fingers through her hair, and sighs occasionally.

When he's brushing his teeth, his father comes in without knocking. Arata frowns. What if he had been changing? Or…using the toilet? His father doesn't seem to care about those things at all, but Arata likes to think he's a bit more refined than that.

Out of nowhere, his dad whaps him on the head with his newspaper.

"What was that for?" Arata asks after he's spit out his toothpaste. His father shrugs and ambles out of the bathroom. Arata stares at his retreating back—there is absolutely no way his father knows what he was thinking, but. Well. He isn't Tokyo's best detective for naught.

Breakfast is a quiet affair. He sits across from his father and munches toast to the sounds of Lisa bustling about in the kitchen in his left ear while listening to his music player in his right. His father sips tea.

"You should read the paper," he says, eyes flicking over yellowed pages.

Arata lifts up his phone. "It's all here." His father grunts, noncommittal. They have this discussion almost every morning.

"Nii-chan," says Lisa, and hands him a bento with a smile too big for the hour. Arata eyes the box, clumsily wrapped in flower print, and remembers Lisa's past attempts at cooking.

"Ah," says Arata.

Lisa's still smiling. He notes with a small amount of irritation that his father is as well...if that sharp curve across his face counts as a smile.

"Well," says Arata. "Thank you."

"But," he says, before Lisa can thrust the bento at him. "I actually eat school at lunch. Usually. I've been doing it lately." He can feel his father's eyes bore into the side of his head. "So you can let Dad have this one."

"I've already made one for him, though!" Lisa says. She then rushes to their father, offering to get water to ease his sudden coughing fit.

"It's fine," he says when she returns to his side of the table. "I'll just take the bento tomorrow." Lisa's whole countenance emits disappointment. He can tell she's trying to hide it-Lisa is probably the worst liar he's ever come across. She shuffles back into the kitchen and looks impossibly small. His dad is making a big show of packing away the bento Lisa made for him. Arata closes his eyes and feels a headache coming on.

"Oh," he says, feigning mild surprise. "I guess I've actually run out of money. I must have," Arata thinks wildly, "spent it on nail files." Arata isn't sure whether to be insulted at how easily Lisa accepts his flimsy lie. "So I can actually take the bento today." He wants to roll his eyes at the excited way she puts it into his backpack for him but he can't quite bring himself to. Shining eyes meet his, sparkling, almost, and—Arata figures it won't be so bad, to eat lunch his little sister made for him, once in a while.

"Arata," calls his father when they're almost out the door. "You forgot your phone."

He makes his way over to where his father is standing, but his father draws back his hand slightly when Arata goes to take the phone.

"Nail files?" he says lowly. Arata snatches the phone out of his dad's hands and marches out the front door.

* * *

><p>His phone keeps going off in class. Arata tries to ignore it, but the constant beeping in his pocket is difficult to ignore. He sits up straight, keeps his eyes trained on Sensei, plays songs in his head to distract himself.<p>

The moment the lunch bell rings, Arata slowly swivels backward until he's face to face with a mop of mousy hair.

"Touji," he says. The head lifts up to reveal a mischievous smile. "Stop texting me in class. I'm serious this time."

"Aww, Ara-chan," whines Touji, and Arata squints. Touji only calls him 'Ara-chan' when he's trying to piss him off. It's a foolproof plan. He can feel his blood pressure rising when he checks his phone and Touji's messages turn out to be a stream of various emoticons and faces. He's surprised to see a couple of pictures as well. "When did you take these?"

"I just snap 'em really quick when Sensei faces the board," says Touji, stretching backwards, easy in his movements.

"You can do it that fast?"

"Yeah, can't you?" He actually can't. Arata tried to improve upon his phone's sound system a couple months ago but ended up almost frying the device. It seems to get slower by the day. Touji's still shooting him that infuriating smirk, eyes at half-mast.

"Let's just go eat lunch," he mutters, and Touji jumps up, energetic as ever.

* * *

><p>"Oh, my god," says Touji. They're staring at Arata's lunch. "What the hell is that."<p>

"Lunch," says Arata, a twinge regretful. He thinks of warm school bread.

Touji looks at him for a moment. His eyes crease up, mouth tugging to the side.

"Don't laugh," warns Arata. "My younger sister made it." Touji laughs.

"Are dumplings supposed to be that color? Shouldn't the meat stay inside the dough?"

"Shut up," says Arata. He hesitantly pokes around. "The rice is like a rock." Touji snatches it before Arata can say anything and tosses it in the air. It returns to his palm, every grain still intact. This only fuel's Touji's mirth.

Arata takes a breath and starts eating the rest of the lunch. The curry slides down his throat unpleasantly, messily, a chunky mixture of what seems to be everything in their cabinets.

"How is it?" asks Touji. Arata eyes his pocket with slight alarm—Touji's hidden Lisa's rice-rock in his school slacks. He can only wonder what Touji plans on doing with it.

"Disgusting," says Arata. He dutifully takes another bite.

"Hey, hey, give me a dumpling," says Touji, already reaching with his chopsticks, his own perfect lunch dangerously close to sliding off his lap. Arata jerks the bento out of the way.

"No way, this is my lunch," he says. Touji scowls.

"You said yourself it was gross! Let me try it!"

"My sister made it for me, not you," says Arata, nose in the air. "I already gave you the rice, anyway."

"Arata," says Touji, sounding serious.

"What," he snaps back, mildly irritated.

"Could it be…you have a sister complex?" Dammit. He can hear the smirk in Touji's voice.

"Would you shut up?"

"No, no, hear me out," says his friend, palms forward, teeth glinting. "You totally do! Why else would you eat her crap bento? When can I meet her? It's not fair, I've met Haru-chan when she used to pick you up from the park, and whenever we decide to go to your house Lisa-chan's not even there! Invite me over! She sounds cute!" Arata briefly entertains a vision of Lisa and Touji, hands clasped together, riding off into the sunset on Touji's shitty bike. He shakes his head to clear away the offending thought and fixes his stare on the boy beside him.

"You are not coming over," he says. "And I can't help it if Lisa's not around when we show up." He's known Touji since the first day of middle school, but he lives on the other side of Tokyo. They usually hang out together in the city, in a place that's convenient for both of them to commute to. Arata can count on both hands the number of times Touji's visited his house or he his.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. You wanna hang out after school?" asks Touji, going back to his food with gusto. There's rice stuck to his cheek. Sometimes, Arata wonders about himself, about his past decisions-about what made him say yes, this person seems enjoyable to be around. This will be my best friend.

"Yeah, sure," he says to a grin of pickled fish and squash.

* * *

><p>"Check it out," says Touji. They're standing in cramped parking lot of a Lawson 100, huddled behind some shrubberies. Arata feels like a fool, a feeling that grows exponentially when he catches sight of what Touji's holding out to him.<p>

"You cannot be serious."

"What? It's funny, my cousin gave it to me when she visited in the summer and I've been meaning to try it out. With you, Ara-chan!" Touji widens his eyes, bats his lashes. Arata wants to punch him.

"I'm not going to stand around at seven in the night and put fake vomit on people's cars!" hisses Arata. "Do you want me to get arrested? My father works for the Tokyo Metropolitan-"

"Police department, I know, I know, calm down. People don't go to jail for this!" says Touji in what he probably thinks is a reassuring manner. Arata is instantly on high alert. "Besides, jail isn't that big of a threat for delinquent types." Arata snorts. He's known Touji for years and the most trouble he's ever gotten into was when he attempted to steal a pack of gum from a 100 yen shop when they were twelve years old. The owner caught him before he even exited the store and Touji had burst into tears instantly. He feels his lips ease up in fond nostalgia.

"What's that creepy look on your face for?"

The smile slides off. "Shut up. It's nothing. Let's just get this over with." He crouches down and watches while Touji darts through cars, flings the gag onto a random hood, and throws himself back next to Arata.

"Now what?" he asks, already bored.

"Now, we wait," says Touji. Arata peers closely at his face—he looks calm, but his eyes are glinting dangerously.

They wait for while-navy melts across the sky, darker and darker with each passing minute. Arata is reading his literature assignment on his phone when Touji taps him on the arm and points forward. A middle aged man is walking towards the car, overflowing with bags. Touji's teeth are almost blue, their sheen so bright. _He's getting way too much amusement out of this._

They can tell the exact moment the prank is spotted. The man sets his purchases down, leans close into the offending gag, a stupid move, and reels back with a shout. He stumbles slightly. Even with just the parking lot lights, Arata can see the red creep up his face. Beside him, Touji huffs a quiet laugh as he watches their unfortunate victim swear and swivel around for the offender. Why is this his life.

Touji shoots up the second the man disappears inside the store, presumably to track down a manager. "C'mon, c'mon, hurry!" and they both race towards the car to retrieve Touji's puke. They gaze down at it, bright against the dark finish of the car. Arata can appreciate the realistic appeal of such a gag...but perhaps its a little too well-made. He feels a bit like throwing up himself.

"Awesome, right?" says Touji, rolling up the plastic easily and slipping it into his pocket.

"That certainly is a word for it," Arata says. "Are we done? Or did you want to wait around for another half hour and ruin another person's night?"

"Nah, I'm good," Touji grins. "That guy is actually—"

"Hey!" calls a voice, cutting off Touji. Arata whips backward, eyes widening as the man from earlier with who he assumes is the store's very tall, very muscular manager head toward them. "You again!"

"_You again?_" Arata repeats, panic rising high and fast in his chest.

"You know that kid?" asks the manager, frown deepening.

"He's been bothering me for weeks now!" cries the man. He aims a fat finger in Touji's direction. "Always with these little tricks! Not this time, you rascal! Get over here!"

When he and Touji don't move—he actually can't move, frozen in his spot—the manager starts making his way over. The minute he crosses under the flood of the closest parking lot light, his friend turns and sprints away. Arata's feet are pounding against the pavement before he can even think, automatic—Touji's just ahead of him, his panicked laughter slicing through the air.

Fingers grasp against the back of his shirt, grazing his body. Arata lets out a strangled scream, suddenly frightened, trying to twist away. The hand tightens a bit, but before it can get a firm hold, the manager lets out a sharp cry and lets go. Touji's arm is still in the air—Arata realizes with horror that he's thrown Lisa's rice behind him, and it seems to have met its target. Arata doesn't want to think of the consequences of that particular move, now or ever. Adrenaline pumping, he urges his legs to move faster, faster, leaving his pursuer behind at a speed he didn't know he was capable of. The yells of both men echo behind him.

Arata's glasses are slipping down his face, but he's too scared to do anything about it—what if he trips, or fumbles, and is caught—for real this time? He and Touji are sprinting as hard as they can, down the street, into a side alley way, and _Jesus Christ why won't he stop chasing them._

This is all Touji's fault. "I hate you!" he manages to wheeze out.

"Learn to live a little!" calls Touji, who is clearly terrified. Arata briefly considers tripping him and saving his own skin. In the wild, prey doesn't have to be the fastest—just faster than the animal next to them.

They're still running, but thankfully, thankfully, the manager is now far behind them. When they finally stop, all the way at the station, Arata doubles over, bracing himself on his knees. It hurts to draw even one breath. Touji slumps his body all over a bench, loose and limber, knees dangling over the edge.

"Holy shit, holy shit," he keeps repeating, breathless giggles softening his voice. Arata straightens up and kicks him in the shin.

"You fucking idiot," he says. "I'm never—that was—my father would murder me alive if that manager managed to catch us." Touji doesn't answer. "We are never going to that store again under any circumstance." Touji nods. "How do you even know that guy? Are you harassing him?"

"I wouldn't call it harassing," defends Touji, but his mouth is twisting, pleased. "He's usually alone, which is why it's entertaining. Especially because he gets really mad, but can't run for shit. He's always alone, though. That manager was scary as fuck!" He laughs. Arata wonders about Touji's mental stability, sometimes.

"But why him?"

"Once a couple weeks ago, I was in the store, and that guy bought the last packet of mochi ice cream, and you know the green tea flavor is my favorite! Then, he held up the line for so long, and I had to use the bathroom, and I became late to my piano class. I had to run through rain! Sensei made me run Hanon drills until I got carpal tunnel!"

Arata stares. "So you targeted this guy for weeks because of that?"

"Well," says Touji. "I was really only going to prank him one time, but his reaction was so funny that I kept doing it. It's not like it actually hurts him or anything, so it's fine!" Arata doesn't have time to ponder Touji's obviously skewed sense of morals as their respective trains arrive.

"It was scary today, sure, but it was kinda fun too, right?"

Arata can see what he means. After the excitement has worn off-it was a little bit fun, running from the law. "Maybe. I can almost see the appeal. But I'm going to stay a law-abiding citizen from now on, if that's okay with you." Touji laughs.

* * *

><p>"Why are you so dirty?" asks Lisa the minute he steps inside. "And late?"<p>

"I went for a run," he says.

"Where?"

"It doesn't matter." Does she have to look so hurt at his response?

"Dinner's in the fridge," his dad calls from somewhere upstairs. He eats in his room, finishes the last bit of homework assigned for the day, and retires to bed. His phone chimes right as he crawls under the covers.

**Touji:** _i had a lot of fun today ara-chan! ←__～（__o __ )o__Ψ_

* * *

><p><em>fuck off<em>, he types back, and powers his phone off.

did...did it sound like nine? please tell me!

and twelve HOLY SHIT GUYS did i have trouble writing him...was he in character?

also, WHO ELSE LOVED THE FINALE! i loved it so much you guys! i thought it was beautiful-the music, the animation, the characters, everything. ive replayed 12 and 9's death SO MANY TIMES NOW. his scream haunts me. truly an amazing show.

didsw on tumblr-feel free to drop in! :)


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